My Only Love
by TerraZeal
Summary: Another Magus and Schala story. MagusxSchala eventually. First few chapters T, will eventually be M. Don't read if you don't like.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I own nothing, as usual. Story is Magus/Schala, so you may want to turn away now if this isn't your cup of tea. Also, this is my favorite pairing, even though it is incestuous. If you read my other stories you'll realize I don't care whether a pairing is incest as long as its love. Feel free to flame. Starts out in Zeal when Janus was young. He's about 13 at the start and it takes place near the time when Crono, etc arrive. Magus as Prophet will be there eventually. Slight Chrono Cross reference. Very slight. I didn't like the game and don't consider it part of the CT world. I guess you could call this AU.**

_My Only Love_

Chapter 1: Not Alone – 12,000 BC, Dark Ages.

Some people called these times the dark ages. Janus Zeal, Prince of his realm, was inclined to agree. He sat in his bedroom, door closed, in the darkness. Schala, his beloved elder sister, was with the Mammon Machine again. Mother was over working her again, he knew it. He could tell by the dark circles under her eyes when she came to him afterward. Schala would lay on his bed with him, holding him tightly in the darkness, not bothering with lights, and whisper to him softly about how she wanted to get away, get away from it all and never return and take Janus with her.

Why they couldn't, wouldn't, go, Janus had no idea. There was nothing stopping them from running. From going to the telepad on one of Schala's rare days off and just never looking back. It would mean leaving everything they knew behind. It would mean becoming an Earthbound one. Janus looked down upon them, he sneered at their filthy holes in the ground when he went with his sister on her trips to help them when she could. The young prince would become one of them for her, for her to be safe. The silk robes, the soft bed, his plush life, everything he would give up. A soft mew jerked him out of his reverie. Alfador sat on the end of his bed, staring at him questioningly, as if sensing his depression.

"Alfador...come here. Where is she? Schala's late tonight. I hope mother isn't harming her." He hugged the kitten to his chest. Janus didn't trust his mother. No, not his mother, not anymore. He HATED her. Ever since the Mammon Machine consumed her, she was no longer the kindly, loving mother he knew. She had spoiled him, loved him...they had been a family. He'd give anything for that again. Hell, Janus would even give up several years of his life to just sit down and eat dinner with mother and Schala as a family. Schala had given up much to protect Janus. He clasped his hands over the amulet on his neck, glittering slightly as he took it out from under his robes.

Schala's amulet...no, his now. Janus had amazing magical gifts. Far greater than Schala's, than his mother's, than the Gurus'. People talked about him, saying he didn't have a speck of magic about him. They knew nothing. They didn't know that Schala gave him the amulet to keep mother from using him as she had her. If mother knew the extent of her youngest child's powers, even his young age of 13 wouldn't stop her from using HIM to power the Mammon Machine. Janus had begged Schala, had pleaded with her, to let him show his mother some of his power. He hated seeing how Schala came to him after working with the machine. Janus wanted to share the burden. He didn't care about people saying he didn't have magic. He knew better, and everyone who mattered knew better. The only ones who didn't know were his mother and the populace in general. He attended private lessons with the Gurus to train his magic. Only then did he remove the amulet.

The door to his room opened with a slight creak. Janus jerked, spinning around.

"Schala! You're okay!" He ran to her and wrapped her in a tight hug, "I was afraid...nevermind. I just...I'm so glad you're okay." Schala ran her hands through his blue-silver hair, holding him tightly to her.

"Of course I'm okay, silly, why wouldn't I be?" She smiled tiredly at him, attempting to not let her fatigue show. Schala sighed heavily and leaned on Janus as she moved towards his soft bed. Why Schala preferred to sleep with Janus, in his room, he didn't know, but he was grateful for it. He could keep on eye on his tired, soul-sick sister without her thinking he was worrying too much. As Janus supported Schala's weight as she leaned on him, he did worry about her. She practically collapsed onto the bed when they reached it. "I'm just tired, thats all. The extra work I have to do for mother...its just exhausting." She smiled reassuringly at Janus.

Janus didn't believe her, but let her think he did and nodded. The young prince climbed into the bed next to Schala and nuzzled up against her. She put her arm around him, comforting him. He didn't want to lose her, not now, not ever. Janus closed his eyes and tried to sleep, Schala's troubled and exhausted breathing making it difficult.

* * *

The Prophet watched as Schala left the room of the Mammon Machine, lips curling in disgust and hatred. He knew what she did in there, what the Queen made her do and how it hurt her. He couldn't stand it, he just couldn't stand it. Nor could he just sit by and watch it happen. Not this time. He would save her. It was just a matter of when and how without messing up the current timeline. Magus didn't want to erase himself from existence, and he was fairly sure thats what would happen if he just went into his younger self's room, took the beautiful princess off the bed, threw her over his shoulder, and went back to the gate and took her to 600 AD, or even better, 1000 AD. Things were more peaceful then.

Magus had no idea if he were exempt from the effects of time travel. If he changed something, would it change him? He wracked his brain, trying to remember Gaspar's lessons on time travel, and, more importantly, alternate timelines. If he just took Schala away now, what would happen? Would there be some alternate timeline where Janus never became Magus, and Zeal never fell, but Schala vanished? Without Schala, Queen Zeal couldn't power the Mammon Machine. Unless removing Schala from this time period also removed the spell she had placed on Janus's amulet to suppress his incredible magical powers...then Zeal would fall, but Janus would be in Schala's place.

Prophet's head began to ache. Oh, how he wished he had paid more attention in class when he was younger. The dark wizard honestly didn't care what happened to alternate timeline Janus, if that was what happened when people changed history, because he wasn't really him and it didn't affect him personally, at least not the present version of him. Still...he didn't want to risk it. Even if there were alternate universes where the very thing he wanted to do had happened, it still wasn't worth the risk of Magus vanishing out of existence as soon as he got his beloved sister back. Schala was everything to him, and he wouldn't lose her, or risk being separated from her, ever again. This time, it would be different. He would rescue her when it was time. When Lavos was summoned. Schala vanished then, as did his younger self, the Gurus, and even Queen Zeal. Perhaps THIS was why Schala had vanished. Perhaps Magus had rescued her, and that was why she hadn't been sucked into a gate, as he and the Gurus had. Prophet's head throbbed even harder. Time travel...so damn confusing.

The Prophet was jerked from his thoughts by a loud knock at the door.

"Prophet! Prophet! Are you deaf or something? The Queen calls for you! She says its important. As if you're more important than me..." The last part was mumbled by the knocked, but Prophet heard it. He recognized the loud, irritating voice as Dalton, the Queen's former favorite. Prophet had quickly usurped that position with his knowledge of the future garnered from having been Janus and the powerful magic she sensed he possessed. Magus snarled irritably. "What is it, Dalton? What does she want at this hour? Midnight has long since passed! The both of you should be sleeping! Isn't Zeal the country of dreams?" He flung open the door, revealing an angry, impatient Dalton.

"It is not in my, nor your, interest to question the Queen, 'Prophet'!" Dalton said the last word with a sneer, as if he didn't believe Magus were truly a prophet. Unknowingly, Dalton was right. He was not a prophet, but that didn't stop him from having knowledge of the future, and the Queen didn't have to know that he didn't really have the gift of foresight.

"Very well, little man, move and I shall see what the Queen wants." Magus attempted to shove past Dalton, but was met with resistance. The irritating little man was trying to block his way. Prophet called up a minor Lightning spell, to move him out of the way and give him a nasty shock, but Dalton apparently had more to say. "If you were really a prophet, you would know what the Queen wants, wouldn't you? I'm on to you false prophet. I know you're a fake. Somehow, you know whats going to happen, but its not through the gift of foresight. You forget that Zeal is the kingdom of magic. Though I don't look like most true-born Zealians, I have magic too. YOU are not a prophet. You don't have that kind of magic. How you fooled the Queen and Princess, whose magic certainly dwarfs mine, I'll never know. But know this, false prophet, I won't let you ruin my plans."

Magus shoved at Dalton and let loose the lightning spell, knocking him back against the wall and onto the floor. "Be careful, little man, or I'll reveal your plan to the Queen. Would you like that? Would you like me to tell her that you're planning on attempting to usurp the throne? To oust the true royal family and take your place as King of Zeal? What would she do to you then, Dalton? Would she feed you to Lavos? Or would she torture you herself for treachery? I don't know, and I don't care, but I do know that if you don't get the fuck out of my way and stop bothering me, you WILL find out. Good-bye, Dalton." Magus walked past Dalton, kicking him in the ribs for good measure, since he was still lying on the floor where Magus' spell had knocked him. Time to find out what the Queen wanted at such a late hour.

**End Chapter 1. R/R.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I own nothing, as usual. VERY minor Magus/Queen Zeal incest in this chapter. It is NOT heading that way, it is Magus/Schala, this is just something I had to get out. Slight Chrono Cross references. Very slight. I didn't like the game and don't consider it part of the CT world. In this chapter, minor Forgotten Realms reference/cross-over. Very minor. Does not impact story if you don't know that world. This is officially AU. Unlike most stories, Schala is NOT disgusted by incest and is, in fact, the instigator! At least with Janus. If you don't like, turn away now!**

_My Only Love_

Chapter 2: Reasons for Staying

The Prophet knocked on the doors to the Queen's chamber, not out of respect, simply for show. He had no respect for that creature that had dared call itself his mother and Queen of Zeal. A true queen cared for her people, her country. Queen Zeal did at first. That was why she started siphoning power from Lavos in the first place. Soon, she had gone too far and became merely a tool of Lavos, a power-hungry monster wishing for nothing more than even more power, for her and for Lavos. A rough, female voice called for him to enter. He opened the gold-gilded door and slid silkily into the room. Approaching the throne, Magus forced himself to kneel before mother-monster.

"My Queen...what troubles you at such a late hour of the night? What need could you have of my prophetic gifts, no disrespect meant, my liege." Magus added the last part as an afterthought. Sometimes his harsh tongue got the better of him. He had to keep his cool here, with her, as hard as it was.

"Yes, disrespect...you haven't shown me near as much respect as most of my peons do, Prophet. Perhaps it comes from being from the future," Queen Zeal smiled at the shocked look on Prophet's face, "I know you are from the future. I know also that you threatened that simpleton Dalton a few mere minutes ago. The power of Lavos is infinite and omnipresent. I also know why you are here." Queen Zeal paused, letting the weight of what she said sink in.

She couldn't know who he was or why he was here...if she did, surely she would have had him killed or tried to get him to work on the Mammon Machine. From the way she said things, it also seemed almost as if she thought he had come here on purpose. If so, then Lavos was **not **ominpresent in this era. Prophet licked his lips subconsciously, hoping his dark hood hid his nerves from her. "Yes, I am from the future, your Majesty. I would tell you why I am here, but if you know, then please, enlighten me. I mean that not in a disrespectful manner, My Queen. I merely wish to know the power of Lavos. If he knows I am from the future, surely he knows much more."

Queen Zeal tapped her long nails on the throne, gazing at Magus. A wicked grin crossed her face. "Don't worry, Prophet. I know you're not here to do evil. Lavos was only able to tell me you were from the future. I, the Queen of Zeal, know why you are here. You are here, Prophet, if I can or should still even call you that, because you come from an era in which Zeal is no more." Queen Zeal was now gazing as Magus with an almost...well, zealous, look on her face. "You wish to tell me how to conquer this world. Your magic is great. You wish to help me with the Mammon Machine. You don't want to go back to a world without Zeal. Don't think I didn't know, Prophet. It is a noble cause, one I and Lavos both approve of. Normally, I would torture and execute anyone who deceived me, but since you are here in the name of Zeal and Lavos, I will let you live. I have a task for you Prophet. Come closer, my dear." Magus flinched at being called 'my dear' by the woman who didn't know she was his mother, still he approached the throne willingly, wanting to know the task. He hoped to Cyric, his own god of deception, that it wasn't working on the Mammon Machine.

Queen Zeal put her hand on Prophet's shoulder and pulled him into her embrace. Chills went through Magus. He hope the Queen did not notice his discomfort at being this near to her, this...close. The Queen smiled up at him, reached up and pushed his hood back. She smiled. "You are a gorgeous man, Prophet. Well, no, I shan't call you that. Surely you have a name?" She left it a question. Magus hesitated, but knew he couldn't hold her off any longer. "My name, Majesty, is Magus. It was long ago a title showing my rank among my subordinates, but it became so commonplace that it became as much my true name as anything. You do me great honor by complimenting me, Majesty." Zeal placed her hands on both sides of Prophet's face and pulled him closer. She placed one hand on his hard, marbled chest. _Dear Cyric, I do NOT want to start THIS kind of relationship with my vile mother! Oh, god of Deception, don't let her find Schala's prayer amulet! _His heart was thumping in his chest, but apparently Zeal took this to mean he wanted her, and her hand passed over the amulet with no notice at all. The Queen's cold, hard lips pressed against Prophet's, yielding and opening slightly when they touched his hot, moist lips. Magus let the kiss continue for a few more minutes, hoping to his god that the Queen hadn't called him here for a more intimate "favor".

The Queen's cold lips left his finally, much to his profound relief. "My, my, my, Magus, my Prophet, you are an amazing kisser. If only I had more time to have fun, I would make you mine, but no, Lavos demands so much of me. Here is your task, Magus. My daughter, Schala." Magus almost jerked at the mention of his beloved sister, but kept his cool facade up. "She is becoming a problem. She has very powerful magical gifts, which is why I use her to power the Mammon Machine. However, she will not last forever. Already, she is being used up, I can see it. She tries to hide it, but I am Queen, I am the chosen of Lavos. No one can hide anything from me!" Magus smirked under his replaced hood. _Thats what you think, vile woman. Schala hid my powers from you for years! You never knew you had someone FAR more powerful than she under your roof!_ The Queen coughed. "Anyway, Prophet. I want you to court her. Your gifts of magic are almost as powerful as hers. If you can get her with child, that child will have more magic than either of you! It could power the Machine for eternity! It could become one with Lavos, and create our dream! We could live on in eternity, immortal, as we Enlightened deserve!"

Magus blinked at her, dumbfounded. Court Schala? Dear gods, he loved his sister, in every way possible. As a sister, as a woman, as a love. Courting her, loving her, had been his dream since he had been a boy in Zeal. Not this way, though. Not by deceiving her. If he did do this, he would have to tell her who he was. Magus didn't think Schala would care. She loved him as much as he loved her. They were all each other had in the world. The way Schala had clung to him when he was a boy, the way she had kissed his 13-year-old self...it hadn't been entirely sisterly. Even at a young age, he had known that. He had felt the same way about her, so it wasn't as if she were forcing herself on him. Yes, he would do this. But not for the reasons the Queen wanted. When the time came, he would still take her away. By then, she would know him, and hopefully love him, if she could get over the atrocities he had committed in 600 AD. She too, had unknowing committed atrocities. If she knew what her powers had caused, the fall of Zeal, the death of many Earthbound and Enlightened, the loss of the Gurus and her brother in time...she would have likely taken her own life. She was strong, but she was so pure and gentle. In the end, if she chose to stay with him, child or no child, they would escape on the day the Ocean Palace sank. The day Zeal falls. That way, there would be no changed or alternate timeline.

"My Queen...you do me such an honor. I would be delighted to court your daughter. Forgive me, Majesty, but at the moment, I believe she despises me. I haven't been too kind to her. I have been too focused on you, My Queen. This kingdom's royal family is too full of beauty, I'm afraid." Queen Zeal gave Magus a preening smile. Of course people would overlook Schala for her, she was likely thinking. Magus knew better. He hadn't meant to make Schala despise him, but working with her mother made it automatic. Also, he was prettier than her as Janus. The Queen was a cold, hard woman with an austere look about her. No one would call her pretty. Handsome, perhaps, but never beautiful. "When and how should I start, Majesty? How shall I mend the wounds I caused her heart?"

Queen Zeal paused, again tapping her nails on the throne thoughtfully. "Apologize. For whatever you did to make her dislike you. I can't imagine anyone disliking you, honestly. You're handsome, powerful, and you put your powers out in the name of the Kingdom!" Her eyes gazed lasciviously over his body once again. Magus gritted his teeth, one of his sharp canines drawing a speck of blood on his lower lip. "Yes, My Queen. I will get started as soon as morning comes. I fear we are all too tired at the moment for anything." He bowed, and took several steps back. The Queen waved dismissively at him, meaning he could go. Prophet gratefully fled her presence.

* * *

Schala's soft lips on his woke Janus from his fitful slumber. "Rise and shine, my sweet. Its morning! And far too lovely a morning to spend in bed!" Janus rubbed sleep from his eyes and stared at Schala, wondering why she was so happy today. Then he remembered. She rarely got days off from working on the machine, but today was one of them. The young prince eagerly jumped out of bed, admiring Schala's shimmering blue hair and brilliant violet robes sparkling in the sunlight let in by the opened window. She was entirely too beautiful to be tortured as she was. Anger once again crept into Janus's mind. A soft 'mew' and a light weight on his shoulder brought him back to the present. "See Janus! Even Alfador knows what a lovely day it is! Come, let us go visit Blackbird! I want to see what Dalton is working on! He says it will fly like a real bird! Imagine, Janus! A machine that flies like a bird without magic! We could fly it anywhere...away from Zeal..." Schala trailed off, her voice going sad.

The prince of zeal, despite his own dark thoughts, couldn't let Schala's only off day this week be ruined by black thoughts. He jumped out of bed and pulled on his own royal purple robe. "You're right Schala! Lets go! I don't wanna stay in the palace all day either. Instead of seeing the Blackbird, how about we visit Kajar instead? It might be interesting, to see how Gaspar's progress on this 'time egg' thing is going, don't you think? Time travel would be even more fun than flying around on a machine!" He grabbed her hand and pulled, she gave in and let him pull her toward the door. The door opened itself. Janus almost snarled in anger. That bastard, the Prophet that worked for his mother, stood in the doorway. Janus didn't know why, but he HATED the Prophet. Something about him wasn't right, and Janus felt it, and it irritated him. Made him hate him. His presence was only going to cause problems. "What are YOU doing here, Prophet? This is Schala's day off! She doesn't HAVE to work on the machine! Mother said!" Janus crossed his arms and glared at the cloaked man.

The Prophet seemed to smile under his hood. "Little prince, I am not here to ruin Schala's day off. I only mean to take her for a walk. Perhaps for a relaxing day dreaming in Enhasa. They have spells to prevent nightmares. The lovely princess looks as if she could use dreams." The Prophet bowed in Schala's direction. She was looking confused. The Prophet had NEVER been nice to her. Well, he had never been mean to her either. He had simply ignored her. Now he was offering to take her on a...what...a date or something? Schala had never been on a date. Perhaps he was just trying to be nice to her, to make up for working for her mother. Perhaps it wasn't even his fault, perhaps he was forced into working for the Queen, just as Schala was. This would be a good time to find out information on this mysterious man. Janus...Schala looked at her beloved little brother. She didn't want to leave him behind. Especially not in favor of Prophet. She knew he hated the Prophet. Maybe...maybe Janus would understand. She hesitated. "Prophet, if you please, I would like a moment alone with my younger brother." The Prophet bowed and slipped out the door, closing it behind him.

Janus turned to Schala, nearly spitting in anger. "You can't possibly be thinking of going with him, Schala! He's...he's evil! I feel something weird about him! I can't explain it, but I do. You don't, the thing we call mother doesn't, but I DO! He isn't who he says he is. He may not even be what he says he is! Do you see his teeth under that hood? They're FANGS! He's a monster, Schala!" Schala let Janus rant his hatred and fears of the Prophet before finally stopping him. "Janus, my love, I do not think he is evil. He is different, strange, yes. I, too, notice the fangs. Perhaps they are common amongst his people. It doesn't mean he is evil. I do want to go with him," Janus gasped at her proclamation, "I only want to go with him to learn more about him. Janus, I love you and only you. No other. The Prophet certainly won't replace you in my heart." She leaned over and kissed Janus, not like a brother, on the lips. She pulled him to her, stroking his soft blue hair. "I love you Janus. In all possible ways. Know that, and do not fret. I pray for you to the Lady of Mysteries, Goddess Mystra, every day. If I am ever not here, know that she will protect you." Schala pulled a ring from a nearby drawer. It had a symbol of a waterfall surrounded by sparkling stars. "This is the symbol of the Goddess. You may wear it round your neck, with my amulet. The Goddess will be with you always when I cannot." Janus looked at her skeptically, but took the ring and slid it on the chain around his neck.

"Schala...I'm sorry. Maybe the Prophet is a nice guy. Maybe you can be friends with him. I'm so sorry, Schala. You have no friends, we both have no friends, because of who we are and what you do. I am sorry for begrudging you a chance at friendship. I...I hope you have fun with the Prophet. He's right. You do need some dreaming. I'll stay here with Alfador and read. You know how I like to read. Or maybe I'll catch up on my studies. The Gurus would like it if I were ahead for once instead of behind as always!" Janus smiled half-heartedly at Schala and sat at a nearby desk, opening a book. Alfador jumped down from his shoulder to the desk, sniffing at the book he had opened with a cat's curiousity. Schala patted Janus on the head and hugged him from behind. "I'll be back, dearest. Not even the Prophet can keep me from you all day." She hugged him again and kissed the top of his soft, blue hair.

**End Chapter 2. R/R. Next up, Schala and Prophet's "date".**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I own nothing, as usual. Incest, if you haven't guessed by now. No more Magus/Queen Zeal from now on. I promise. I too find it disgusting. In this story, Magus is a sort of vampire. As I said, AU. He has those fangs for a reason. Hah.**

Chapter 3: Courting You

Magus led Schala through Enhasa, gazing longingly at the sleeping dreamers. How he had always wished to be among them. To have no more responsibility than to dream. His dreams would have been of her, of course. Even if he hadn't been the Prince of Zeal and her brother. Everyone in Zeal thought Schala was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. Many men had sought her hand. She had turned each one down. The only man she had ever loved was Janus, her beloved younger brother. Magus intended to (sort of) change that. She would love Janus, but she would love Janus as he Magus.

"My princess, what is on your mind? You look pensive. This was meant to be a pleasant outing." Magus queried her, since she had shown now signs of pleasure whatsoever since leaving the palace. Schala shook her head. "Forgive me, Prophet, I mean no disrespect. I'm thinking of Janus. How I just left him there. Even though he told me to go...I still feel bad. He must get so lonely, all the time." Schala had no idea how right she was, Magus thought. He had been alone his entire life after he lost Schala. "I understand, princess. I was alone for most of my adult life. No human companions, no one to talk to...it is indeed lonely. You may have noticed, I'm not quite human myself. It is something I let happen to me. It is entirely my fault. I used to be human, though. Like you and everyone else." Magus shrugged, trailing off, waiting for Schala to continue the conversation.

Schala stopped at a table where Doreen was poring over the Book of Water, not noticing that her imp-like face was drenched. The princess gazed at Doreen in confusion, then decided it was better not to ask. "So, what are you then? If you're not human. I...can't say why, but I can tell you're not evil." She turned to face him, pulling his hood back, revealing his pale features and silky blue-white hair. Magus bent down so he was face to face with the princess. "Does it really matter, my princess? Trust me, if you can. I'm here only to help you. I am NOT helping your mother, not really. If you can believe me, believe that. I do NOT want her to succeed, but my plan can only be put into action if she thinks I'm working for her." Schala looked puzzled again. "Why do you so desperately wish to help me? What am I but a tool? A tool for the Mammon Machine and Lavos, nothing more. I have no will of my own anymore. I belong to mother and Lavos." She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. Suddenly, the day was no longer cheery as it had been when she woke up. She blinked, thinking back on her words. Why had she said 'mother' the way she did? In the context she said, she was implying that the Queen was the Prophet's mother too, and she most certainly was not.

"My princess? Is something the matter?" Magus wondered over her confused expression. Schala shook her head. "No, nothing, Prophet. Just a bad phrasing of words on my part. I...let us talk of happier things than work. Please. What is your name? It can't be 'Prophet' for certain. You must have a true name. No mother names their child 'Prophet'!" Schala smiled at Magus, giggling slightly. Magus couldn't help but smile back. "No, my lady. My name is Magus. As I told your mother, it was merely a title, but eventually became so common in use that it became my name. I am Magus. I would prefer not to give my old name, the one I had before I became Magus, just yet, if you please, your highness."

Schala held out her hand to him as they crossed a small gap leading to the other half of Enhasa. He took it and pulled her over easily. "Very well, Magus. And please, you must call me Schala. I dislike such formalities. If I do not call you Prophet, then you must not call me princess." She gasped as she slipped a little on the slick tiles. The water from Doreen's book was seeping everywhere. Magus caught her in his arms as she began to fall. Schala pushed herself upright, using Magus's muscled chest as an anchor. "My hero!" She cooed and then took off running, out of Enhasa. Magus followed her with his eyes, baffled at her strange behavior, then followed her, much more slowly. Doreen was letting the water from her damn book flood the place! Magus glared at Doreen and cast a small fire spell at her book, putting out the water. It earned him an evil glare from Doreen. She turned the page in the book and once again engulfed her head in a stream of water. Magus sighed. Idiots. He was surrounded by idiots. He exited Enhasa.

Schala stood on the edge of this island they were on, gazing out at the sunny skies and clouds around them with a small smile on her face. She took a small step forward. Magus jerked and ran toward her, almost as fast as she had ran out of Enhasa. "Schala! Careful! You don't want to fall now, do you?" Schala glanced at Magus only once before stepping off the island without so much as a backwards glance. Magus cried out in horror, before realizing what she was doing. She was giggling as she levitated back onto the island. His heart thumping in his chest, Magus pulled into a tight embrace. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" He threatened. "I thought you meant to kill yourself! Do not even pretend on such things!" Schala cocked her head, a little stunned that her joke hadn't elicited the laughter she had hoped it would have. The Prophet, Magus, was far too serious for his own good. This was her day off and she meant to have fun! Be it with Janus or Magus. "It was a joke, Magus! You have no sense of humor! And what is the meaning of THIS?" She gestured at the embrace he had her locked in. Magus licked his lips nervously. "My apologies, Lady Schala. I was so scared for your safety that I lost control of myself. And my lady is right. I have no sense of humor. I apologize." He loosened his grip on her and let her step away, as much as he was loathe to do so.

Schala smiled at him. Poor Magus. He truly must have had an awful childhood to have no sense of humor whatsoever. Even Schala, as overworked and tired as she often was, found time for a joke. In this, Magus reminded her greatly of Janus. Her poor young brother had never really had a childhood. He too lacked a sense of humor. She tried to get him to laugh at her jokes, but he would just raise his eyebrows and look at her like she was crazy and then tell her that her jokes weren't funny at all. If she hadn't known what Janus's life was like, she would have been hurt by this, since everyone ELSE thought her jokes were funny. Magus as Janus...what a silly thought!

Back in Zeal Palace, Janus sighed in annoyance and frustration. This book on time travel studies by Gaspar was hard to understand. Time eggs...Chrono Triggers...Gates...Ugh. Janus had a headache just from reading one paragraph. He had even mentioned something about alternate timelines and alternate universes. Janus refused to read that chapter and only gave it a small amount of glance-over. He dropped the time travel book on the floor and picked up one on a type of being called "fiends" by Melchior, Guru of life. Perhaps that was what Magus was. He flipped through the book a little reading on the types of fiends that Melchior had found. Blahblahblah...imps...Nu...they weren't really fiends by Janus's reckoning. Merely non-humans. But perhaps thats what Melchior considered fiends. Janus shrugged and continued reading. Alfador leapt from a wardrobe he'd been sniffing and landed lightly on Janus's shoulder, mewing in his ear. Janus reached up and patted Alfador absently, reading a passage on a fiend that had fangs and red eyes, just like the Prophet. It supposedly drank human blood and disliked sunlight, but could still tolerate it. Perhaps THAT was what the Prophet was. It would explain a lot, like the fangs and how he constantly wore that hood and cloak, even in full sunlight when it was most certainly hot on him. He would tell Schala and show her the book. Perhaps the walk with the Prophet had been more enlightening and he had actually told her what he was. Janus continued to read about vampires and other fiends as the hours passed, and he waited for his sister's return.

Schala was certainly enjoying herself. Far more than she had in a long time. She never enjoyed herself this much unless she was going somewhere with Janus. The Prophet had a droll tone of voice and no sense of humor to speak of, so it was getting to be very fun trying to play a joke on him, to get him to at least change the monotone voice into something happier. The only other tone of voice she'd heard from Magus was terrified when she had pretended to leap to her death. As the day wore on, Magus seemed to be getting a bit tired, either from all the walking or from Schala's lame attempts at jokes, she didn't know, but she knew it was time to let the Prophet get back to his rooms and for her to get back to Janus. She certainly couldn't let him spend the ENTIRE day reading. "Well then, Magus, you seem a bit exhausted. Perhaps we should both be getting back to our rooms, then?"

Magus nodded, beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead. He couldn't handle the brilliant sunlight this long and had indeed endured it as much as he was capable. Still, if Schala wished to remain walking with him, he would deal with the exhaustion for her. But since she had suggested they go back to their rooms, he wouldn't pass up the opportunity. "Aye, Schala. It is getting late. It may be your day off, but the Queen asked me to peruse some documents for her later this evening. If I am late...well, you know mo-your mother." Schala did not notice his slip of the tongue and nodded. They headed back to the palace, and their respective rooms.

Schala entered Janus's room and closed the door quietly behind her. The young prince had fallen asleep, head firmly planted on one of the Guru's books. His quiet snores made her smile. Schala constantly told Janus that he snored, and he insisted each time that he most certainly did not. She wished she had some way of recording this. She would have played it back to him and proved him wrong. He was obviously very tired and in a very deep sleep if he were snoring. Schala went over to her little brother and picked him up gently, carrying him to the soft bed. Janus mumbled something Schala couldn't make out, but didn't appear to awaken when she laid him on the bed and tucked him in alongside herself, wrapping her arms around him. He nuzzled against her, and put his arms around her neck. Perhaps the young prince wasn't as asleep as she thought. Still, she didn't protest and reciprocated, pulling him close, resting her head on the top of his blue-white hair and falling asleep as the sun sank in the distance and darkness overtook them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Again, incest warning. But if you've got this far, you already know. As I said last chapter, no more Magus/Queen Zeal! One chapter of that was enough. Young!Janus/Schala in this chapter hinted at much more strongly than before. Queen Zeal/Lavos strongly hinted at. Yes, you read that right.**

_Chapter 4: The Flaw in the Plan_

Schala softly nuzzled her younger brother's silky hair. She had tried falling asleep, but couldn't. The Prophet, Magus, kept coming to mind. Somehow, just one day alone with him made her happier than she'd been in a long time, and something about him was so very familiar. His...aura...may have been full of sadness and loss, but Schala noticed that it was lessened a good deal whenever she was in his presence.

She saw his aura when he was in the presence of her mother...so much anger, so much hatred. At first she had assumed this was due to the 'evil doers who would come to bring an end to Zeal' that he had prophesied. Now, after talking to him, she wasn't so sure. Surely, Magus didn't want Zeal to fall...and the Queen could also read auras, so no doubt she interpreted his anger and hatred as such for the possibly fall of Zeal at the hands of evil.

Schala shuddered slightly, just thinking of mother. Or, the creature that called itself mother. Janus was right when he said Queen Zeal wasn't their mother anymore, but Schala dared not say anything, dared not contradict her mother. She was and always had been a dutiful daughter. Janus shifted slightly in her arms, his silvery blue head nuzzling her breasts slightly. Schala sighed and kissed him softly, trying not to wake him.

The princess loved her younger brother so desperately. When younger, she had been betrothed to him by her own mother, to 'keep the bloodline pure' as she said. Schala hadn't minded, nor had Janus. She wasn't sure how Janus felt, but she still felt like she would love to continue to be betrothed to him. She couldn't imagine being with anyone else. They would all pretend to love her for her power, because she was a princess. Janus loved her for who she was, Schala, not the Princess of Zeal.

As if sensing her feelings, Janus opened his eyes slightly and looked bleerily at Schala.

"Schala? Why aren't you sleeping?" he sounded worried. He always did lately, when he spoke to her.

Schala patted his head gently. "I'm just...I can't sleep, thats all. Just thinking." She smiled. "About you, actually. And the Prophet. Well, Magus. His name is Magus, not Prophet. I had a wonderful day with him. He was very kind."

At Janus's alarmed look, Schala soothed him quickly. "Not a better day than I would have had with you, of course. All my days with you are wonderful." The princess hugged the younger prince. "Go back to sleep, Jansy. I'll fall asleep sooner or later."

Janus frowned at the use of the silly pet name. "Don't call me that! It sounds silly for a prince!" He rolled over in the bed, away from Schala, feigning annoyance. Janus didn't really care when she called him that. She knew he only kept up appearances. Much like Magus...not wanting his cold facade to fade...

Janus noticed her frowning once he'd stopped pouting and turned back to Schala. "Schala? Whats wrong? Why are you looking at me like that and frowning? Did-did I do something wrong?" He sounded honestly concerned about this. Of course he would. Schala was his only friend, his only love.

"No! Not at all. I was just thinking about...Magus, and you. How you're rather alike." Janus gasped at this and adamantly shook his head, but Schala stopped him from speaking. "Shush! Let me explain! You both try to keep up these masks, you both try to be cold and collected when I know, deep down, that you're not. I'm not saying this to hurt you, Jansy. Just...because...he reminds me of you, thats all."

Janus still frowned. He sighed and crawled back on top of Schala, laying down, head on her breasts, again. He looked up at her beautiful face, so tired and drawn, still. "Schala...I...I can take off the amulet anytime...please...let me...I can take some of the work, Schala. You don't have to suffer alone."

The princess gasped. The mere thought of her beloved Janus becoming a puppet of Lavos like her! Never. She would never allow it! Schala slapped Janus, hard. Tears welled in his eyes and his lips trembled as he stared at her in shock.

"I have told you, time and again! I will not let you. Never. You won't be a puppet of Lavos like me. Mother won't have you. Its the least I can do. I will keep you from her if it is the last thing I do." Tears were threatening Schala now.

The prince wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his robe. He hated not being able to help. It wasn't Schala's slap that caused him to cry. It was that. She wouldn't ever let him show his powers to mother. If he did...Schala had told him that she would hate him forever, and he wouldn't want to risk that. He hated seeing her cry...he sniffled and pressed against Schala, hugging her tightly.

"I just want to get away from here, my love. Just us. Away from Zeal...far away. Forever." Schala said this as she softly resumed stroking Janus's lovely silver-blue hair.

"We will, Schala. Some day. If...if you don't, I'll escape, then I'll come back for you, I promise." Janus trailed off and fell asleep again. The princess pressed her face into Janus's hair and bit back tears of loss and depression.

* * *

Magus sighed and leaned heavily on the door that lead to his bedroom. He was tired, but that walk with Schala was worth every bit of pain. He'd bore far worse pain than a jaunt in the brilliant sunlight if it made his beloved Schala happy. She had seemed happy too. The air about her was so much more full of life and light than it had been when he had been Janus. Despite how happy she had been when she was with him as Janus, there was still the underlying depression and sense of hopelessness.

Schala hadn't displayed that when she was with Magus. It was like she had been a totally different person. Free, perhaps free at last from the grip of her mother and the kingdom. Magus hoped to make that freedom, that delightful, happy personality, permanent. How desperately he STILL longed to simply go in her room and grab her and head back to the time gate.

The Prophet sighed heavily. He couldn't do that, no matter what. Even if it DIDN'T screw with the timestream in some way, there would be Guardia's army to deal with, the Mytics, the fiends, that had become his allies and made him who and what he was today, to contend with. He was still Lord Magus, the King of Mystics, in his time. Sweet, gentle Schala wouldn't be able to handle that, not even if she did know he was Janus. When the time came, he intended to take her to some other time period.

He'd been reading some of Gaspar's books on time travel since he'd arrived, and there were ways of traversing the timeways without the gates. He would take her to a peaceful time...she would never have to know of Lord Magus, King of Mystics, mass murderer and torturer. Magus smiled ruefully. At least his mother would be proud. He'd become a ruler very worthy of her. Just a single-minded in his goal to get to Lavos as she had been. The only difference was that he was trying to get to Lavos to kill him, while she was trying to get to Lavos to...fuck him or something. Magus did not know, or even WANT to know.

The Prophet was not lying when he'd told Schala he had some documents to read over for the Queen. Something about her continued plans with the Mammon Machine. After looking around his quarters for quite some time, Magus could not find the documents that had been there earlier. He rubbed his head in frustration. That asshole Dalton. Of course, the mage had left his door unlocked and the jealous moron had decided to attempt to sabotage his position as the Queen's new favorite by stealing work he was supposed to do for her. Magus would just have to go to see his mother again, his least favorite thing to do.

* * *

In the Mammon Machine chamber, Queen Zeal communed with Lavos. The feeling of the power surging through her was like an orgasm. No, it was better. Nothing in the realms of mortals was like the power of Lavos. When she was immortal, all that power would be hers. She stroked the machine, almost lovingly, thinking of Lavos and how they could, would, become one when she achieved immortality. How they would rule the world, together...Queen Zeal and Lavos...eternal rulers of the Kingdom of Zeal...or the Kingdom of Lavos. She had yet to decide on a name for her new kingdom.

Schala was the first step. Schala and the Prophet were the second step. The final step, the only that she had recently set into motion, was to get Schala with child, the powerful Prophet's child, and use that child's energy to empower Lavos. Who cared what happened to it once Lavos was at full strength? No one would ever have to worry about death again, thanks to the child of Schala and the Prophet, if they managed to produce one.

A wave of ecstasy swept over the Queen as she felt Lavos' energy surge through her, his thoughts fill her mind.

_He comes, my love...the Prophet. The one who will provide the means to bring us together. The means to bring this world to what it is meant to become..._

Lavos trailed off in the Queen's mind. She managed to compose herself as best she could, recovering from the throes of passion offered by the mighty Lavos was not an easy thing. The Queen sat on a nearby throne-like chair she'd had installed in the room and adjusted her gown, making herself more presentable. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in, Prophet."

The Prophet entered, giving her a quizzical look.

"Lavos told me you were coming, sly one. What is it you wish at such an hour? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Queen Zeal eyed the handsome man in an amused manner.

The Prophet went to a knee before the Queen. "It seems someone broke in to my room and stole the documents about the machine that you wished me to work on. I have my suspicions about whom, but I'll keep them to myself for now. Perhaps you can provide me with another copy?" The Prophet's voice was as toneless and dry as ever it was, but the Queen sensed something else. He was almost..._happy_. Yes, the aura of hate and anger was no longer emanating from him like a cloud.

It seemed to have lifted. The Queen smiled. It could only be because he had mended fences with Schala. Of course.

The Prophet stared at her, still keeping silent, wondering at her strange smile.

"Of course, Prophet. My apologies. I just noticed that your aura is much less full of anger this time. You're nearly...happy." Queen Zeal laughed. "Its because of Schala, isn't it? You've already endeared yourself to her, haven't you?"

Magus gritted his teeth and forced himself to tell her. "Yes, Your Majesty. I...took Schala out on her day off yesterday. She enjoyed it very much. Should she continue to enjoy herself with me, perhaps you will have your Lavos-siphon sooner. The key to immortality is that much closer." Magus hesitated, something the Queen noticed.

"Yes, Prophet? What else? I'm pleased with the swift progress you're making on my daughter, but don't lie to me, ever." The last bit was said with a hiss, an underlying threat.

"Your Majesty, should you wish me to...do what you ask...perhaps it would be more prudent to give the Princess more days off? It is hard for me to court her when she is only allowed one day off a week. I cannot make her love me if she only sees me as a friend for one day a week." There. The mage had said it. Now, to wait for mother-monster's answer.

The Queen tapped her nails on the edge of the chair, contemplating. She needed Schala to constantly pour magic into the machine, but the Prophet was right. If he were to succeed in his...endeavor...he certainly needed more time with Schala...

"Very well, Prophet. You are right, of course. However, I cannot allow her full days off. I will tell her that she will be allowed to spend half the day off, and the rest of it working on the machine. Every day, with her one full day gone from the machine. That should still give you plenty time to win her, Prophet." the Queen smiled. She wouldn't lose all of Schala's power this way, and the Prophet would still be able to try and get her with child.

Magus cursed inwardly. He had wanted the queen to say Schala could have three, four full days off...it would give him plenty of time to tell her of his plans, to eventually reveal himself as Janus...but this was better, much better, than the way Schala was being treated now. At least this way she could get some rest if she needed it, spend time with his younger self, and, if he were lucky, his current self as well. His plan to take Schala with him all hinged on her being able to love and accept him for who and what he was. A monster, a murderer, a mage, a man, and her brother. Magus loved his sister, in every way possible, and he would do whatever it took make her his.


End file.
